Save Me
by Willas
Summary: Axel, a high school senior, is known for his cold exterior and icy attidtude. Roxas, a freshman boy who tries to feign cheerfulness as a cover for his morbid depression. Both hide dark secrets under their facades. Can they uncover them together?
1. Heart Stopping

"Oh, I'm so excited Save Me

Willas: Hey everyone! Yes, I'm gonna try and run two fanfics at once…we'll just see how this goes…'. Yes, this one is yaoi as well, it's between Roxas and Axel. Once again, if you don't like this sorta thing, then don't read. Do not flame the yaoiness, for it is good. Now, I'll leave you to enjoy the fic, and I do hope you review!-

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters or places (T-T). I'm just a teenage, high school girl; not an executive at Square Enix, Disney, or any other company associated with KH. So don't sue, you'll get nothing of great value unless you worship duct tape.

Warnings: Yaoiness, AU, and slight OOC.

Chapter One: Heart Stopping

OOOOOO

"Oh, I'm so excited! This is our first school function for high school!" a redheaded girl gushed as she bounced around in her seat. Next to her, a blond boy agreed as whole-heartedly and as vocally while on the other side of him a blonde girl expressed her excitement in a much calmer manner. A brunet and his silver-haired friend smiled at their girlfriends from the middle seat of the van. They were all piled into the back of Tia Tenshi's van. Sora grinned at his brother in the backseat.

"I knew we shouldn't have put you next to Kairi back there. I just knew you'd both end up bouncing off the walls before we even got to the school," he said laughingly. Riku just rolled his eyes and gave a derisive snort.

"Poor Naminé, even _she'd_ be driven crazy sitting between those two psychos," he joked, referring to her seemingly permanent calm demeanor. Roxas just smirked as he placed an arm around each of the girls.

"You're just jealous 'cause I get to sit with the ladies," he retorted smugly. Sora and Riku exchanged amused glances before erupting into laughter. Roxas just sniggered at them while the girls giggled behind their hands at the boys' foolishness. As the vehicle continued towards its destination, and the laughter came in fitful bursts, Sora didn't have to wonder if his brother's laughter was sincere or forced. Although it came just as fast and just as loud as the others' did, as his twin, Sora could detect the hollowness of it and how his heart didn't seem into it. His heart didn't seem to be into anything since four years ago…since the year they had come to live with their aunt Tia. The only thing Roxas put everything he had into was dancing, and that he did mostly in private. His twin's withdrawal had stung at first, and when he'd voiced his concerns, Roxas just laughed it off and had been making an effort to hide his pain and depression from his brother. That had hurt Sora even more, so he let it go for now, deciding Roxas would confide in him in his own time.

Sora continued to ponder on the changes in his twin until said twin started knocking on his forehead. "Snap outta it silly, we're here," he said with a knowing look on his face. Looking out the window, Sora saw that they were indeed in front of the high school. Different cliques and small throngs of students loitered outside the entrance, talking and laughing and waiting for the doors to let into the gymnasium for the dance. As they stepped out of the van, some of their fellow freshmen waved them over.

"Hey guys, you made it!" Olette said, letting go of the hand of her boyfriend, Pence, to embrace Kairi and Naminé.

"Of course we did! You didn't think we'd miss the first high school "party", did you?" Fuu and Selphie made themselves known and the five girls continued to chat while the boys formed their own group of discussion. Roxas watched them a moment before moving off to sit alone in the shadows of the marquee. Riku noticed Sora's gaze drifting repeatedly to his brother and read his mind.

"You're worried about him aren't you?" the platinum-haired teen asked. When Sora just nodded, Hayner shifted in his boyfriend, Seifer's, arms before he spoke.

"Is it just me, or does Roxas seem more withdrawn lately?" the brown-eyed blond voiced. Sora shook his head sadly.

"He's been withdrawing ever since we left Destiny Islands four years ago. I don't know what's wrong, he won't tell me, he keeps saying he's not ready yet, but that he would explain everything eventually." The brunet was exasperated. He wanted to know what had happened to his brother, what had happened to the carefree boy his twin used to be.

Before anyone could reply, Kairi rushed over excitedly. "The doors just opened, guys! Come on!" Seeing the excited redhead beckoning them to follow, Roxas got up and rejoined the group. They paid their entrance fee and entered the gymnasium where the upperclassmen were meshed together and mingled. Puzzled, they headed towards where other freshmen were gathering around the tables. There were folding tables set around the edge of the room, and the middle was cleared for the purpose of dancing, or moshing by the looks of it. Murmurs swept through the group all asking what was going on. Their questions were soon answered as the school's class president took the microphone from the DJ.

"Excuse me, may I have your attention, please? If you could all just quiet down for a moment…" The talking continued as Aeris's soft pleas for silence were ignored. Seeing Aeris become increasingly flustered, the DJ took back the mike and handled the situation with ease.

"WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP FOR A SEC!! AERIS HAS SOMETHING TO SAY!!" screamed Yuffie. Satisfied, when the room finally fell silent, Yuffie handed the mike back to Aeris.

"Yes, well, that worked, I guess. Anyway, I'm pleased to welcome everyone to the first coffeehouse of the school year. To all returning students, I hope you enjoy new bands as well as old favorites, and to all freshmen students, I hope you are encouraged to participate in all future coffeehouses. Feel free to enjoy the refreshments at the back table as well as tonight's entertainment." With that she handed the mike back to Yuffie who imparted a few -quieter- words of her own.

"And to those freshmen who don't know, I'm Yuffie, your DJ for all dances and the space filler while bands set up and move off stage during these events! So sit back with a cup of joe, or dance if you want! It doesn't matter as long as you have a good time!" Ending her speech, Yuffie started the turntable up, and let dance music blare through the speaker system as the first band set up on stage. Roxas scanned the larger crowd gathered on the dance floor as they swayed to the beat Yuffie provided. Making up his mind, he moved away from the freshmen group and leaned against a support closer to the stage. He remained there most of the night, except for the breaks between bands when he rejoined his friends to talk and dance.

"Hey Rox, how do you like the music so far?" Sora asked as his twin came towards them. He used his brother's nickname in an effort to cheer him up, and was rewarded with an appreciative grin.

"It's pretty good, the sound is great up front…and the view's not too bad, either," he said nonchalantly, knowing someone would pick up on his double-edged comment. As if confirming his assumption, Kairi giggled in response.

"Ooh, has someone developed an upperclassman crush?" she ribbed. Roxas just smirked.

"Nah, they're not bad looking, I just haven't seen, or heard, anyone who's made my heart pound, yet," he quipped. He laughed with the girls while the guys just rolled their eyes, but little did he know he'd spoken too soon. The music cut out and Roxas bid his friends farewell once more, and returned to his spot nearer the stage. He inspected the toe of his sneaker while the new band's bassist gave their introduction.

"Hey everyone, we're EmptyShelz, and we're gonna play one of our songs for you," the blonde girl said simply. Roxas glanced up and surmised they were a Goth or metal band; all wore black clothing adorned with chains or fishnet, some sort of dark kohl around their eyes, and some had multiple piercings. After the brief applause, the first guitar chord rang through the air followed by the drums.

Roxas let his body rock to the steady rhythm of song's intro, but soon became as still as a stone when the lead vocalist's voice pierced the air. Looking towards center stage and actually took a good look at the lead singer, Roxas felt his pace quicken when his eyes fell on the owner of the voice. _"Oh, be still my beating heart," _he thought dazedly.

OOOOO

Willas: Ta-da! The first chapter of Save Me. Review and let me know what you think. Comments and flames are welcome, so long as the flames aren't burning the yaoiness. That's the only thing I refuse to put up with. Other than that, feel free to review all you'd like.

PS. Oh, and I lied. I _do _own one character, and that's Tia Tenshi, Sora's and Roxas's aunt for this story.


	2. Doors to Our Souls

Save Me Save Me

Willas: Hey everyone! Wow, I didn't think there would be that many reviews! I feel loved! Anywho, here's the second chapter of Save Me. Just a small warning, the POV switches back and forth throughout the chapter, but I tried to make it easy to tell who it is by mostly switching the POV between verses. Yes, this chapter is a song fic, so bear with me for those who aren't into them. Anyways, here's part two, read, enjoy and review!

Disclaimer: Halt in your suing! I don't own these characters, and never will. They belong to Square Enix, Disney, and other companies associated with KH. I'm making no money off this whatsoever, so step away from the lawyer and no one gets hurt.

Warnings: Yaoiness, AU, and slight OOC...okay, so it's major OOC, but meh, what's the diff?

Chapter Two: Doors to Our Souls

OOOOOO

"There's a pretty good sized crowd out there," Larxene commented as she fiddled with her bass. She glanced at their lead singer, who was unpacking his own guitar. Axel ran a hand through his spiky, crimson hair before turning his emerald gaze to his band mate.

"What, is Larxy scared?" he teased the blonde. Larxene gave a derisive snort as she settled herself against her boyfriend, Marluxia, who was tuning his instrument as well. Axel watched as his cousin wrapped his arm around Larxene's stomach, effectively locking her to his side. She turned to pout at him, but he only chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose. The redhead smiled briefly at the happy couple, glad his brunet cousin had found love. He knew he himself would never be that fortunate, but he'd convinced himself he liked it that way. Axel kept most people at bay with his icy demeanor, earning himself the title Ice Prince, or to the homophobes in school who refer to his somewhat bitchy attitude, Ice Princess.

The stage crew appeared and informed them the stage was ready for set-up when they were. Carefully slipping back into his frigid persona, Axel gave his guitar one last strum before standing and carting his amp to its designated spot. The band set up quickly and efficiently, and was ready to play in moments. Yuffie cut off the music and Larxene stepped up to the mike.

"Hey everyone, we're EmptyShelz, and we're gonna play one of our songs for you," she stated simply. The band waited a few moments for the applause to cease before Marluxia let out the first few chords of the song. The drums joined him in his brief solo before the bass, second guitar and synth entered. There were a few appreciative whoops and hollers from the crowd when the music dropped down to a steady bass line accompanied by the drums as Axel took a breath and began singing a deep, sinister voice.

"If you don't know if you have found what you are looking for,  
The silver-lining always starts to fade.  
And what you don't know is that you don't know the truth anymore.  
Now you try sleeping in the bed you have made."

Roxas came to a complete stand still when he took in both the sight and sound of the most gorgeous male he'd ever laid eyes on. Though he made his body language and facial expression read indifference, the blonde let his gaze roam over the lead singer with interest. He had a shock of long crimson hair swept back and spiked out behind him, and piercing green eyes that surveyed the crowd before them. His tall figure was covered head to toe in black; bondage pants with chains criss-crossing between the legs and a sleeveless mock turtleneck that clung to him like a second skin showed off his toned arms and torso. Baseball gloves and buckled combat boots completed the outfit.

"_The feeling is gone and the circle is broken,_

_Like water under a burning bridge._

_A million words but nothing is spoken._

A deafening silence replaced by fear."

Listening to the singer's melodious voice, Roxas had to lean against the pillar to keep from swooning. When his gaze swung in Roxas's direction, the blonde ducked his head to hide the blush suddenly stealing across his cheeks. _"Why am I acting like a little school girl?"_ he chided himself. He nervously fiddled with the hem of his shirt as he waited for the redness in his face to dissipate.

"_Save me,_

_I can't find my way home._

_The grace I've fallen from,_

The only truth I've ever known."

Axel gazed out at the crowd, noting the familiar faces, taking in the new ones of the freshmen who, he noticed with some amusement, were mostly huddled in their own cautious cluster farther from the stage. Swinging his gaze around the room, his eyes were drawn to a petite blonde who promptly blushed and hastily ducked his head. Intrigued, and more that a little impressed with his appearance, he let his eyes wander over the blonde's lithe body. Axel noted that he was femininely dressed in a shimmery, black halter-top with tight, black leather low-riders that left a small section of his midriff bare, giving him a view of the boy's nicely toned stomach. And from the quick glance he got of his face, he wore black eyeliner, mascara and shadow on his eyes.

"_So when you tell me what you tell me,_

_I can't take it anymore._

_The same old story goes around and around._

_You think that if you speak alittle louder than you did before,_

_The point you make might somehow stick around._

_If empathy is no more than a token,_

_I cry a river in the pouring rain._

_The princess still sleeps but she will be woken._

Her kiss of love is killing me."

Roxas fervently hoped no one saw him blush, especially the handsome singer onstage. He couldn't believe he'd been caught staring at the sexy redhead. Debating with himself, he risked a glance up and felt his heart pound when he found those fiercely green eyes still locked on him. Roxas gasped at the intensity of the other's gaze. They were a brilliant green that held him spellbound; they seemed full of mystery and seemed as if they harbored too many secrets. _"The eyes are the doors to the soul," _he thought strangely as he suddenly realized the singer had just as much access to his own concealed truths. For a long moment, he stared straight into the other's emerald gaze, before the redhead finally looked away.

"_Save me,_

_I can't find my way home._

_The ground I'm walking on,_

_The only friend I've ever known."_

His attention was snagged, and Axel silently willed the blonde to look up so he could get a better look at him. He was soon rewarded when the other lifted his head and locked gazes with him. The other's eyes captivated him; they looked deep and tumultuous like the churning sea, and were several shades of blue that shimmered and shifted like the waters of the ocean. As intriguing as they were though, Axel had to tear his own away. He suddenly had the strange feeling like the blonde had opened some hidden door inside him and was reading his soul; uncovering secrets he preferred to keep buried. Little did Axel know that Roxas felt the same way about the singer's eyes; like they were probing beneath his surface and seeing what was hidden underneath.

"_Mother, father,_

_The battle I fight is for no one,_

_No one but myself._

_Brother, sister,_

_The devil inside is my own now._

_There's no way you could understand._

You don't understand."

As Axel's voice dropped down to a whisper, Roxas let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Roxas contemplated his reaction to the redhead; he'd never felt this strong of an attraction before. Unable to explain it, he decided he would observe the other during school hours before, if ever, approaching him. Deciding on a plan of action, he collected himself as the guitar solo rang out, but his reprieve from the butterflies in his stomach was short-lived as Axel's voice once again pierced the air, sending shivers down his spine.

"_Mother, father,_

_The tears that you cry are for no one,_

_No one but yourself._

_Brother, sister,_

_I travel this road on my own now._

_There's no way you could understand._

_Save me,_

_I can't find my way home._

_The grace I've fallen from,_

_The only truth I've ever known._

_Save me,_

_I can't find my way home._

_The ground I'm walking on,_

_The only friend I've ever known."_

The song ended and the crowd erupted into applause. As Axel waved goodnight to the crowd, he glanced over where the blonde had been standing, but was disappointed to find him gone. Sighing, he followed his band mates offstage, and joined them in a celebration for a performance well done. Putting away their equipment, Marluxia led his band mates to where Xemnas and the gang had a table saved. Axel sat down beside his cousin, who had Larxene snuggled securely in his arms and on his lap. The others snickered at her humiliating position, making her scowl darkly at them.

"You know what? Sometimes it sucks being the only girl in this group," she huffed. "I mean, I feel right at home most of the time 'cause half of you guys are gay, but sometimes I need a _feminine presence_ to hang out with."

The "leader" of their group, Xemnas, chuckled. "I'd gladly welcome more girls into our ranks, but none have approached us, they're too timid. So you either find some non gothic girls to befriend," Larxene scowled at this, "or find a really feminine boy to join our group." At his last words, Larxene's lips curled into a smirk.

"A really feminine boy, huh? Maybe I should ask that guy Axel was ogling the entire time we were on stage," she teased. Axel's cool demeanor slipped and he blushed.

"I was not _ogling_ him." He denied it vehemently, but his nervous arm rubbing habit betrayed his lie.

"Whatever! You are so lying," she quipped back. Axel looked pleadingly to Marluxia.

"Come on, cuz, help me out here," he begged. The brunet just smiled and shook his head.

"Sorry, dude, but I'm afraid I have to agree with her. You were pretty fixed on the kid," he conceded playfully. Marluxia never missed a chance to poke fun at his cousin, and now it was finally time to get payback for all the jibes thrown at him for having liked Larxene for the longest time. Axel just scowled and mumbled another half-hearted denial.

"Oh come on, Axel! You were practically drooling over him," Larxene insisted. The others snickered and he took the coward's way out before the interrogation could continue further.

"I'm gonna go get something to drink," he announced as he pushed back his chair, much to the others' disappointment.

Guessing the reasoning behind it, Marluxia called after him. "Coward!" he yelled playfully. Axel stealthily gave him the middle finger as his hand scratched the back of his neck. His cousin just laughed and shook his head as the redhead walked away.

Knowing he'd be pestered when he returned, Axel decided he would take his sweet time at the refreshment table. Gazing lazily around, he almost changed his mind and would have gone straight back to the table when he caught sight of Sephiroth, but his flaming red hair made him too easy to spot, and Sephiroth sighted his target quickly.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the school's biggest flamer, the Ice Princess," the deep voice said with more than a hint of acid. Gritting his teeth, Axel turned to face the tall silver-haired youth. Sephiroth was known around school as the biggest homophobe of them all, and was always in detention for beating up underclassmen just because they liked their own gender. The taller male gave him a withering look that would have been enough to send even the bravest running, but Axel stood his ground and braced himself as Sephiroth approached him. The platinum-haired youth was surprised when Axel didn't flinch away like he usually did, but instead looked him dead in the eyes, staring him down. Deciding not to start anything with the fiery tempered male this early in the school year, Sephiroth merely stood by and glared as the redhead walked by. Axel answered with a glare of his own and kept his eyes on his tormentor to ensure he didn't pull anything. He was so focused on watching his back, he was startled when he came to a sudden halt as he ran into someone at the refreshment table, spilling their drink.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I wasn't watching where I was going." Axel looked down at the mess before looking to see whom he bumped into. Lifting his gaze, he was shocked when he was met with familiar intense blue eyes, widened in surprise.

OOOOO

Willas: Yay! The second chapter of Save Me. This was my first song fic, and yes, the title of the story comes from the song used in this chapter. It's called Save Me, (duh), and it's by KMFDM. Once again, feel free to review all you'd like, but don't flame the yaoiness! Everything else is welcome; comments, complaints, constructive criticism, even messages that say 'you suck and I hate you' are okay. So, just don't flame the yaoi, simple as that.

Thanks to my readers!!:

blockofthewritingkind: Thank you! I hope this chapter was satisfactory! you get a pocky stick!

Darkness-Heart: Thank you for reviewing! I can't wait to see what I have in store either! –Axel: You're the author! Don't you know what's happening in your own story?! –Me: Uhhhh… you get a pocky stick!

Deaths pet fox: Thanks for the review! Hope this satisfied your want for more! you get a pocky stick!

Demsa: Wait no more! Hope you enjoyed the second chapter. Thank you for the review! you get a pocky stick!

Melodysmilesalot: Sorry, I seem to have a thing for cliffies…hehehe. Thank you for the Kudos! you get a pocky stick!

phaz: Thank you for the review! Yes, Yuffie yelling at people is always fun. I think I might add more of it later, hehehe. you get a pocky stick!

Shinigami's Servant: Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter as much as the first! PS. Please don't die! That would be sad…T-T. you get a pocky stick!

Sora Keyblader: Thank you! I'm glad you liked its cuteness! But I warn you, it won't be cute for long. Some…bad stuff happens…-Roxas: looks wary What kind of 'bad stuff'? –Me: Uhhhh…. you get a pocky stick!

For those of you who don't know, pocky is a delicious Japanese cookie stick dipped in chocolate or other various flavors like strawberry, melon, etc.


	3. What Are The Odds?

Save Me

Save Me

Willas: Hey all! Sorry about the long, long, long, long, long X infinity wait. Between homework, school, the school musical, and my laziness .'…yea. So, I hope you enjoyed the second chapter! Hehehe, 'the first encounter.' And what an encounter it will be! The start of this chapter backpedals to what Roxas was doing while the band was packing up, just so no one is confused. But don't worry, we'll get them exchanging words -and possibly numbers- soon enough.

Disclaimer: Woah! Stop! Hold up! Before you attempt to sue my ass for stealing, don't! I own none of these characters! Their souls belong to Square Enix and Disney! Not me! If they did…you don't wanna know what I would to them if they did!

Warning: Yaoiness, OOC, AU, all the good stuff like that…

Chapter Three: What Are The Odds?

OOOOOO

Roxas waited until the last note of the song rang out across the crowd before slipping away from his secluded spot by the stage. _"Okay, it was just my imagination. He wasn't really looking at me. There's no way a hot guy like that could have interest in someone like me," _he thought to himself. As the audience erupted in applause, the blonde made a quick glance back at the stage, finding Axel's emerald gaze searching for him where Roxas previously stood. He turned his head back around, smiling a little as he did so. _"Or maybe he could." _His smile quickly faded. _"Oh, quit fooling yourself, Roxas. He's probably not even gay!"_

His face soon turned to a grimace, as he neared the table his brother and friends occupied. _"Uh-oh, they're gonna ask me what I thought about the singer." _Sure enough, as he sat down in his seat, Kairi started gushing about the attractive redheaded singer.

"Omigosh! He was _so_ hot! Didn't you think so, Roxas? Guess what!" she continued without waiting for the amused blonde to answer. "When I was in the bathroom fixing my make-up after…" she prattled on about how some upper-classman girl had "accidentally" splashed her drink on Kairi's face after the redhead had told the other girl off when she found her flirting with Sora. "But I _know_ it wasn't an accident! The ho just wanted to get back at me for prying her off of my man! But back to what I was saying." At this Roxas refocused on the conversation. "While I was fixing my make-up, I overheard some upper-classman girls talking about that lead singer! Roxas, guess what!" she squealed in excitement, this time awaiting Roxas's guess.

The blonde boy just raised an eyebrow waiting for Kairi to continue. When no urgent information was forthcoming, he sighed and decided to play along. "Oh, I dunno, he's taken and has a really hot girlfriend?" he suggested lamely. Kairi shook her head fervently, sending some of her copper hair flying.

"No, silly! Just the exact opposite! He's single, AND he's gay!" She giggled at the look of shock that spread over Roxas's face. Roxas just gaped at her, trying to comprehend the fact that maybe, just _maybe_ he had a chance with the sexy singer.

As if reading his mind, Sora playfully nudged his brother in the side. "Hey, maybe you have a chance with him after all!" he laughed.

"Yeah!" Kairi agreed. "You do have a good chance with him, and if I know you, which I do, then I know you think he's totally hot! I mean, come on! We have the same great taste in guys!" Roxas smiled slyly at this.

"I know _I _have great taste in guys. You, on the other hand…" he gave his brother a once over, "I'm not so sure!" he joked. Sora punched his twin in the arm.

"Oh haha, very funny!" he whined as everyone laughed. Never able to keep a straight face, Sora joined in the laughter. He looked to his twin and was glad to see a genuine smile gracing his lips. When their mirth died down, Roxas sighed in content. He hadn't laughed, truly laughed in a long time. Still smiling, he pushed back his chair and stood up.

"I'm gonna go get something to drink, anyone want anything?" The rest of the table shook their heads, so he headed to the refreshment table alone. He stood at the table humming to himself as he opted for a glass of fruit punch. Idly sipping from his cup, he smiled as he thought of the boy whose hair was the same hue as his beverage. Rolling his eyes at his own foolishness, he turned around and collided with someone's chest, dropping his glass in the process of keeping his balance.

Roxas opened his mouth to apologize, but the apology died on his lips when he saw whom he crashed into. His eyes widened in both surprise and fear when emerald eyes locked with his sapphire ones.

OOOOOO

Axel couldn't believe his luck. Granted, he was covered in juice and looked like he just pissed himself, but he finally had the chance to talk to the attractive blond boy. Before he had a chance to speak, though, Roxas jolted out of his trance and realized his drink now adorned Axel's lower half.

"I am so, so sorry!" he cried in dismay. Turning around and grabbing a handful of napkins from the table, he began to pat at the mess he made, before realizing his hand was dangerously close to Axel's crotch. Eyes wide, he jerked his hand back. "I'm sorry! I, uh…" he fumbled over his words as his face turned every shade of red imaginable. Wanting to just disappear into the ground, he meekly handed the napkins to Axel and grabbed some more to wipe up the floor.

Axel struggled to keep from laughing at the flustered look on Roxas's face, but couldn't help cracking a smile as soon as Roxas had his down, concentrating on cleaning the floor. Wiping away the rest of the juice from his pants, he knelt down and helped clean the rest of the mess. They both stood and disposed of the napkins, standing there in an awkward silence as Roxas tried to think of something to say. Axel finally broke the silence, offering his hand to the blond.

"Hey, I'm Axel," he smiled as the other boy looked up, startled. Timidly taking Axel's hand, Roxas slowly shook it.

"I'm Roxas," he replied shyly, still not meeting Axel's eyes. After a few seconds of silence, he realized Axel still had possession of his hand, so he finally looked up at his face.

Happy that Roxas finally made eye contact, he smiled at the blond and received a shy one in return. Axel tilted his head and listened as Yuffie played a slow song for the various couples to dance to. Roxas noticed this, too, when he spotted his friends out on the dance floor with their partners. Feeling a tug on his hand, Roxas turned to see Axel smiling at him.

"May I have this dance?" the redhead asked, hoping that, if his outfit was any indication, Roxas was into guys.

Too shocked to form words, Roxas just nodded and allowed himself to be led into the throng of couples. Axel took the lead, placing one of his hands on Roxas's waist and taking his other hand and twining their fingers together. Roxas sighed in content and rested his head on Axel's shoulder, eyes closed. Opening them back up, he saw Kairi smiling as she poked Sora in the back, telling him to turn around. Roxas grinned when Sora gave him a thumbs up, giving his brother one in return.

Axel was having a likewise- if a bit less loving- experience with his cousin and Larxene, who was busy making kissy faces at him. Swiftly flicking the blonde girl off, he turned his attention back to the blond boy in his arms. "So, I haven't seen your face around here before- trust me I'd recognize one as pretty as yours- are you a freshman?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah," Roxas replied red in the face from Axel's previous compliment. The blond fell silent, not knowing what to say to the older boy. Axel took the initiative to break the awkward silence.

"You having fun tonight? Enjoying the music?" he asked to spark conversation. Thankful, Roxas nodded.

"Yeah, I'm having a great time, all of the band are really good. I, uh, really liked your band, you have a gorgeous voice." Roxas mentally kicked himself. _"That had to be the lamest thing I could possibly say,"_ he thought to himself. The redhead just chuckled.

"Thank you. We've been a band for several years now, though I'm not quite sure how with the way me and 'Lux go at it sometimes." Though the issue sounded serious, he smiled as he said it. Roxas blinked in surprise.

"Conflict of interests?" he guessed. Axel shook his head.

"No, cousins," he grinned. Roxas chuckled.

"It seems like the closer you're related by blood, the more you fight. I remember Sora and I always used to bicker and argue before-" Roxas suddenly cut himself off, falling silent and sullen as his smile disappeared. Axel wondered at the sudden change in the blonde's attitude. Concerned, but not wanting to push the issue, he changed the subject for him.

"Who's Sora?" he asked quietly, not wanting to startle the kid who had withdrawn into himself. He hoped he wasn't making things worse by mistake.

"Huh? Oh, Sora is my twin brother. He's over there with his girlfriend, Kairi." With a nod of his head he indicated the couple dancing near the tables. Axel squinted at the other boy.

"You're twins?" he asked doubtfully. Roxas giggled lightly.

"Yeah, from far away it's kinda hard to tell, but stick us right next to each other and the similarities are obvious. Like our eyes for example, they're exactly the same shade of blue, and the reason neither of us can lie or keep a secret for too long, they express too much," he laughed. Happy that Roxas didn't seem depressed anymore, Axel smiled and held the boy closer to him. He sighed as Yuffie came over the microphone to announce it was time for the party to wrap up.

Looking up into Axel's emerald eyes Roxas said shyly, "I enjoyed our dance, I'm sorry it can't last longer." Blushing, Roxas hoped he didn't sound too forward to the older boy. Smiling warmly, Axel nuzzled the top of Roxas' head.

"I'm sorry it couldn't last longer, too." Around them, couples gradually broke apart, leaving the two of them standing amongst the throng of people. Taking his chances, Axel ducked his head and slowly closed in on Roxas' mouth. Roxas closed his eyes when he realized the other boy's intentions. Axel was so close he could feel his warm breath whisper against his lips…

"ROXAS! YOUR AUNT'S HERE! WE GOTTA GO!" screamed Kairi from the top of her lungs. Roxas jumped back about five feet, blushing and looking like he'd been caught in the act of doing something wrong. Finding the source of the screaming, he saw that she didn't actually witness the almost-kiss, and was looking aimlessly around the room trying to locate him. Shaking as a result of what had almost happened and being scared out of his wits, he stepped back over to Axel and smiled apologetically.

"Hehehe, s-sorry about that. I, uh, I gotta go," he said, stating the- now- obvious. He made to race off before he died of embarrassment, but Axel swiftly caught and held his hand.

"Wait, before you go, can I have your number?" He wasn't going to let the blond boy get away that easily without getting a means to contact him. Surprised, Roxas looked back to see the redhead digging through his pocket for something. Finally producing a pen, he held it out to the blond expectantly. Blushing, Roxas uncapped it and carefully printed his name and number on Axel's palm. Smiling brightly, Axel took his pen back and bent down to quickly kiss Roxas on the cheek. "I'll call you," he promised as he turned and walked away.

Dumbfounded, Roxas just stood there, with his hand against his cheek. _"I can't believe what just happened,"_ he thought. _"He's incredibly hot, incredibly talented, he's gay AND he's interested in me? This has got to be a record lucky streak."_ With that thought, he turned around and went to put an end to Kairi's ceaseless screaming.

OOOOOO

Willas: And thus ends chapter three. Sorry it took so long .'. At least it didn't take as long as my story on Fictionpress…hehehe. Well, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope it hasn't been abandoned!

Thanks to my readers!!:

Bert the Nomad: Thanks for the review! You don't know what yaoi is?! How can you not? I could have sworn I told you during school, huh, oh well, hooray for Wikipedia! you get a pocky stick!

blockofthewritingkind: Thanks for reviewing! Wow, you are seriously too kind, I'm glad you like my work! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Or that could just be the kitten… Axel: "What?!" Willas: "Nothing, nothing…" P.S. Everyone likes pocky, or at least they should. you get a pocky stick!

Darkness-Heart: Thank you for the review! I'm happy you like it so far! Yes, the pocky is for you! Yeah, Marluxia and Axel as cousins is pretty funny, and Roxas just seemed kinda femme to me. Roxas: "Hey…." you get a pocky stick!

Demmy: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad my updating makes you prance! Sorry for making you curious, it's just my wily way. It might take a while to get there, but all will be explained eventually! you get a pocky stick!

Echigo-chan: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you find it cute so far! I hope this satisfies your want for more! you get a pocky stick!

Jequila: Thank you for reviewing! I hope this was the kind of interesting you were hoping for! you get a pocky stick!

Karyu's Midnight Snack: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked the character twist I did with Sephy! Not sure why I made him like that, to me he just seems like a cruel bastard who looks down on everyone. Sephiroth:……"Excuse me?" Willas: running away you get a pocky stick!

Ky0Kichi: Thank you for the review! Yup, I definitely think Roxas is drool worthy eye-candy for our feisty little redhead, hehehe. you get a pocky stick!

Liu Barrowin: Thanks for reviewing! Haha, I didn't even notice the "flamer" and Axel wielding fire connection until you mentioned it! And also ironic is he wields fire but is nicknamed the "Ice Princess". Oh yes, Jack Sparrow will definitely be a part of this story, wait till you see his role though, hehehe. Jack Sparrow: "Should I be worried, mate?" Willas: "Nooooo…." you get a pocky stick!

Melodysmilesalot: Thanks for the review! Yeah, I have a habit with cliffies, I'm sorry! As for the beatings, you'll have to wait and see! Roxas: is scared you get a pocky stick!

phaz: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like my descriptive ways! My heart is in this story, it's just slow in expressing how it feels. Axel: "Interpretation? She's a lazy bum…." Willas: "That's not nice…" And yes, Roxas is damn cute! you get a pocky stick!

RyuichixTatsuha: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you liked it! Sorry the wait was so long! you get a pocky stick!

Solesse: Thanks for the review! Wow, the story inspired you to download the song? Nifty! I love this song, and thought it would make an awesome song fic! Sorry about the cliffy, hehehe. you get a pocky stick!

Sora Keyblader: Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you think the story/characters are sexy! Sorry for the long wait! you get a pocky stick!

the flame heart: Thank you for the review! I have written more! Yay! Axel: "Yay? You mean more like 'finally'…" you get a pocky stick!

Txenriks: Thanks for reviewing! Yes, singers sexy! Axel sexy! Axel + singer drools Yeah….that about sums it up! I do think a girly Roxas and a singing Axel make a perfect match! Don't you think so Roxas? Roxas? Roxas: is ogling Axel Willas: "Ah well…." I've tried black cherry pocky if that counts as weird. you get a pocky stick!

WolfishSerenity: Thanks for the review and the pocky in return! I'm glad you like the plot line! Yeah, Sepihroth just doesn't seem like a nice, loving person to me for some reason…. Aeris: "I've got a pretty damn good reason…." Willas: "Oh yeah……" You've never tried pocky? You can get it at Wal-Mart, in the oriental food aisle! Mmm, pocky! you get a pocky stick!

yaoifanboy: Thanks for the review! Sorry for the long wait on the update! you get a pocky stick!

Zuki: Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you like it so far! I have continued so enjoy! you get a pocky stick!


	4. Didn't Your Mother Ever Tell You

Save Me Save Me

Willas: Hello all! Yes, I've made a quicker update! Woot for me! Thank you all for the lovely reviews and I'm glad that my story was not abandoned! I'm also glad that no one wanted to kill me for interrupting their-ahem-moment, hehehe…

Axel: You're evil…

Willas: You mean you didn't already know that?

Axel:……scoots away

Willas: Anyway, here's chapter four. Will Axel really call, or will he completely change his mind about Roxas? Stay tuned in to find out! Please read and review, and you will be gifted with pocky! And I really have no idea how I came up with the chapter title…it baffles even me…

Disclaimer: I think we've already established that I don't own Kingdom Hearts. What are the clues? It's lack of yaoi-ness, the characters are always fully clothed, and the rating is E…So in short, I do not own these characters, Disney and Square Enix do.

Warnings: Yaoi, lemon (later chapters), AU and OOC-ness.

Chapter 4: Didn't Your Mother Ever Tell You Not to Run with Muffins?

OOOOOO

Roxas woke with a start when a sudden eruption of noise penetrated through the layers of sleep he groaned as he identified the racket as Sora stumbling across the hall and pounding down the stairs. Roxas sighed in agitation as he glared at the glowing digits on his alarm clock.

"_Come on, Sora! Don't you know the meaning of "sleeping in"? It's only 8:30 a.m. on a SATURDAY!"_ he thought. Roxas closed his eyes and tried to remember what he'd been dreaming about. _"Oh, yeah. I was thinking about Axel."_ He blushed at the memory of the night before_. "I can't believe I actually gave him my number. I wonder if he'll really call."_ Knowing he'd never fall back asleep with all the clanking coming from the kitchen, he sat up and stretched, producing several loud, satisfying pops. Yawning, he slid out of bed and stepped into the hall. Heading down stairs and into the kitchen, he found Sora digging through the cupboards to find a muffin pan, his torso submerged among the pots and pans filling the huge space. With a muffled cry of triumph, Sora emerged from the cupboard with the muffin pan in hand. Upon seeing Roxas leaning on the doorjamb, he beamed brightly.

"Mornin', Rox! I didn't expect to see _you_ up this early." Roxas pouted.

"I'd still be asleep but a herd of elephants decided to parade down the stairs," he retorted sarcastically. Sora scoffed.

"Excuse me? I'm not _that_ loud!" Roxas just quirked an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe I'm a _little_ bit loud, he conceded. Chuckling, Roxas walked further into the room.

"So, what was alluring enough to drag anyone out of bed at this ungodly hour on a _Saturday_?" Sora smiled.

"Muffins!"

"But, we don't have any muffins." Still smiling, Sora waved the pan in his hand.

"But we will! Wanna help?" Nodding, Roxas picked up the list of ingredients.

"Might as well seeing as I'm already up." Together they mixed and poured the batter, making a minimal mess, and 45 minutes later they were enjoying delicious blueberry muffins.

Idly chewing away, Sora asked nonchalantly, "So, what are you doing today?" Roxas shrugged.

"I dunno, probably stick around the house. The only reason I'd ever get up at this hour," he glared at that, "is for school, but we don't have classes today and I don't have any other plans." Sora smirked slyly.

"Oh, I see. You're waiting for _him_ to call," he teased. Roxas almost choked on his muffin.

"Wha- what?! What are you talking about?" he stuttered nervously. Seeing Sora grin smugly, Roxas finally caved. "How did you find out?" Taking pity on his distressed twin, Sora shrugged a shoulder.

"I went looking for you when Tia showed up, and saw you, uh, getting to know that singer a little better. I was gonna let you finish up your business, but Kairi decided to interrupt," he explained. Noticing Roxas' embarrassed blush, Sora smiled and patted his shoulder. "Hey, don't be embarrassed, I'm happy for you!" Roxas smiled slightly, but soon frowned and bit his lip.

"Yeah, I'm happy, too, but do you think he'll really call me?" he asked nervously. "I mean, what if he changed his mind? What if he doesn't really like me? Or he might have-" Sora cut him off.

"Stop doubting yourself! From what I could see, he was totally into you! I don't think he could resist you if he tried! Now stop worrying yourself sick, and let's have some fun today! I'll invite the gang over and we can watch movies and play video games and stuff," he suggested. Nodding slowly, Roxas smiled and hugged his brother.

"Thanks, Sora. You always seem to know what to say." Pulling back, they both grinned.

"Well, then I'll go call everyone up, and you can go make sure we have enough snacks and the like." Each completing their tasks and cleaning up the kitchen, they climbed upstairs to shower and dress before their friends showed up.

OOOOOO

'_Wake up! Grab a brush and put on a little make-up! Hide the scars and fade away the shake up! Why'd you leave the keys upon the table? Here you go, create another fable!…'_ Axel opened one bleary eye to look for his cell phone as it started screaming at him. Flailing a hand around the nightstand, he finally silenced it by flipping it open. He spoke groggily into the mouthpiece. "'Ello?" he asked, even though he already knew who it was.

"Glad to see you're so awake and lively this morning!" responded the sarcastic and overly cheery voice of his cousin from the other end. Axel yawned and sat up in bed, rubbing a kink out of his neck where he had slept wrong.

"Like I've said, Marly, you are way too chipper at five o'clock in the morning." Marluxia just snickered.

"Well, maybe if _someone_ didn't stay up all night thinking about a certain blonde, you wouldn't be so tired!"

"Yeah, well, maybe if someone didn't permanently wire themselves on coffee all day they'd actually sleep and function like a regular human being. Just give me ten minutes, I'll be out then." With that he snapped his phone closed and swung himself out of bed. Walking to his wardrobe and throwing on some shorts and a tank top, he grabbed his mp3 player from its charger and left the house to find his cousin sitting at the end of the driveway. This had been their routine every morning since they were 13; wake up at 5:00 a.m., go for a vigorous 1 hour run, hit the gym at six, shower, change, and then meet up with the band for breakfast and practice at seven. The last part hadn't been added until they were 15 when they formed Empty Shellz, but they kept it a tradition and used the time to bond. And right now, Marluxia's idea of bonding was to interrogate his cousin about the night before.

"So, did you get his number?" the brunet asked with a Cheshire grin. Axel scowled and punched his cousin playfully in the arm as he did so.

"So what if I did? What's it to you?" the redhead asked with a hint of suspicion. Marluxia shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh, no particular reason, just curious. So, do you plan on calling him?" he asked to divert Axel's attention. Recognizing the tactic, Axel scowled but let it drop. He'd pester the answer out of Demyx later, confident that whatever Marluxia wasn't telling him, the rest of the group knew, and Demyx would be the easiest to crack.

"Well, that _is_ the purpose of attaining a phone number." Axel quipped, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You know, to contact and communicate with people. If you pulled your head out of your ass long enough, you'd realize how that certain plan of action works." They both burst into hysterics and had to stop before they collapsed while in motion, which- through experience- they knew was never pleasant.

Finishing their morning routine, the remainder of the morning remained uneventful for Axel and he bid his friends farewell around noontime. Climbing behind the wheel of his car, he glanced at his phone sitting on the passenger seat. He never brought inside Marly's with him, he was with all of his friends so there was no one to call him. Picking it up now, he flipped it open and scrolled through his contact list until he came to Roxas' number which he programmed in the previous night before the numbers on his palm became illegible. Worrying his bottom lip with his teeth, Axel checked the time and considered his options.

"_Hmmm, it's only 12:45, that should be plenty of heads-up to set up a date for tonight, right? But maybe the day after is a little too early to call. Oh, I don't know! I've never been this nervous about calling a boy before!"_ Still not making up his mind, he highlighted Roxas on his phone and let his finger hover over the dial key.

OOOOOO

Roxas clutched his stomach as he practically rolled on the floor laughing as Sora did his best imitation of their new English teacher. Sora walked around the room with a swagger, and overly flourished his arms about the air in a perfect mimic of the teacher. He even had the voice down to a tee. "Okay class, welcome to first year English. I should be telling you that I'm going to teach you about the mechanics of the language, but I'm not. You know you can speak it just fine, I know that you can speak it just fine, and I know that you know that I know that you think beating the language to death is just a waste of time, you know? So instead, we're going to focus on our expression of the language, savvy class?" Kairi fell into a fit of giggles, falling into an unceremonious heap on top of Naminé, who was stifling her own laughter behind her hand. Riku was almost in the same floor-ridden state as Roxas and Sora finally broke down and laughed at his own foolishness. The almost uncontrollable laughter lasted for nearly ten minutes before the phone rang, interrupting their hysterics. Lifting himself off the floor, Roxas tried to catch his breath as he picked up the phone.

"He-hello?" he asked breathlessly.

"Hello Roxas!"

OOOOOO

Willas: Whoo! And there you have chapter four! Yeah, another cliffie, I'm evil. I know. Mwahahahaha! Don't shoot me! cowers from readers' fury

Axel: They _should_ shoot you! Hell, _I _should shoot you! You leave those cliffies on purpose!

Willas: smiles innocently Why, whatever do you mean? Hehehe, as always review and you will be rewarded with pocky! Oh! And if you can correctly guess who their English teacher is (I think it's kinda obvious…), you get a muffin! Hooray for muffins! Oh yeah, and Axel's ringtone is Chop Suey by System of a Down! Awesome song!

Thanks to my readers!!:

Axel's Iris is Roxas: Thank you for the review! Here is more, just as you requested! you get a pocky stick!

Echigo-chan: Thanks for the review and the add to your favs! I'm glad you like my writing and I hope you like this chapter! you get a pocky stick!

Gomez389: Thanks for reviewing! I'm sorry it took so long that you almost forgot about this story! I'm glad you're still with it and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! you get a pocky stick!

J0kEr06: Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you think this story is wonderful! And yes, Axel is HOTT! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! you get a pocky stick!

Liu Barrowin: Thank you for the review! OMGOSH! Thanks for pointing out my writing on the palm error! I didn't even think about it even though it happens to me all the time! smacks self in the head Thanks though, and no I didn't fall off the face of the earth, if you were wondering where I disappeared to. And yes, high school drama is only cool in fanfiction, definitely NOT in real life! curses high school you get a pocky stick!

Melodysmilesalot: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you think the story's cute! Yeah, Roxas will get more smiley, but he'll also get more….frowny? Is that even a word? Well, it is now! you get a pocky stick!

ONiONLADi777: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like this, and AU high school fics are pretty much the best 'cause it's always better than real high school! you get a pocky stick!

phaz: Thank you for reviewing! Haha, there's nothing wrong with fangirling over hot KH characters! I do it all the time! All KH Characters: stare at Willas sketchily Willas: "What?…What?" you get a pocky stick!

Riku-stalker: Thanks for the review! You think my writing's beautiful? Thank you! Yeah, AkuRoku is my favorite pairing as well! Axel's pants were inspired by some I saw at Hot Topic that I wanted but couldn't get T-T, and I have Roxas' outfit except the top is patterned black and white…almost like Xemnas' coat….weird. you get a pocky stick!

Ryu Kyoko: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you like the story! Yea, Kairi just seemed like a loudmouth to me for some reason… Kairi: looks pissed Willas: wisely runs away you get a pocky stick!

RyuichixTatsuha: Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you loved chapter 3, I hope you loved this chapter, too! you get a pocky stick!

Setsuna Kurosaki: Thanks for the review! Ahhh! Attack of the butterflies! I'm glad you think the story's adorable, and it made you squeal? Sweet! I'm glad you enjoyed its squealy goodness! looks down at leg Um, could you not cling so tight? I need that leg for track! you get a pocky stick!

Silli-zicuni: Thanks for reviewing! Wow! I'm glad you loved this story so much! Yea, Sephy is being stupid, but I needed a plot motivating character, so with an exciting (not really) round of eenie, meenie, minie, moe, Sephy was chosen for this role! I love the irony of Axel's nickname, haha! Yet, oddly it seems to suit him. You will find out in due time what happened to Roxas and Sora, and more about their past in chapters to come. Lol, hooray for awesomeness on a stick! It should be commercialized! And of course you get a pocky stick! All reviews are rewarded with one! you get a pocky stick!  See?

The Masquerade Moth: Thank you for the reviews! Yes! Seifer and Hayner are together! I thought it would throw people off quite a bit and I guess it did! Kudos to Danny and Steven for handling the situation quite uniquely! Lol, I would've loved to have seen it! Yea, Sephy is the type that if a guy confessed his undying love to him…the kid would probably be shoved into a locker…or a trashcan…or a broom closet…or any other method of torture. Glad you got out of the "crappiest and shittiest" high school ever. No one should have to endure the preset torture of high school in a crappy and/or shitty school! Anyways, I'm glad you like the story, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! you get a pocky stick!


	5. The Stories Told At Dinner

Save Me

Save Me

Willas: Hello all! I'm back with another chapter! I've gotten complaints about the last chapter being too short and I apologize for that. So here's to hoping that this one is longer and satisfactory! The actual reading is at least 8 pages! Thanks for all the lovely reviews, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Oh, and uh, hehehe, try not to kill me after you read the first few lines, okay? Please?

Disclaimer: Awww, you're gonna make me say it, aren't you? Now I'm gonna cry. -Sighs- I do NOT own Kingdom Hearts! T-T Square Enix and Disney are its rightful owners. I only own this plot and a few original characters.

Warnings: Yaoi, lemon (later chapters), AU and OOC-ness.

Chapter Five: The Stories Told At Dinner…

OOOOOO

"He-hello?" he asked breathlessly.

"Hello Roxas!"

"Hi Aunt Tia! What's up?" he inquired, having finally regulated his breathing.

"Oh, I was just calling to tell you and your brother that I'm getting off work a little early tonight. That and to remind you both to do your chores and take Shadow for a walk," his aunt said over the phone.

"Sure, no problem," Roxas replied. On the other end, Tia smiled as she heard shrieks of laughter over the line.

"I can hear you have your friends over," she chuckled. "I know! How about you invite them for a sleepover and we can have a taco night when I come home!"

"Really? Awesome!" Roxas muffled the receiver with his hand and turned to his friends. "Hey guys, wanna stay for a taco night and a sleepover?" The reply was a unanimous 'yes', and he told Tia so.

"Great!" she replied. "I'll just pick up the ingredients on my way home then. Make sure they call their parents and I'll see you when I get home. Bye Roxas!"

"Bye Aunt Tia!" _Click!_

OOOOOO

_Click!_

Axel closed his phone with a snap as the screen blinked _'Incoming Call'._ As soon as it rang he flipped it back open. "Hello?"

"Hi Axel, sweetie!"

Axel smiled when he heard the voice. "Hi Mom! How are you? It's been a while!"

"I know, I'm sorry about that hun. But guess what? I'll be in town tonight and I'm staying for the weekend, so I thought you and I could have some bonding time together! How about it?"

"Of course! Where and when do you want to meet?"

"How about Choi's Restaurant? I'm up for some good Chinese food. Does 6 o'clock sound good?"

"Fine by me. I'll see you later Mom, love ya!"

"Love you, too, sweetie! Bye!" _Click! _Axel smiled as he hung up and tossed his phone into the passenger seat. Starting up his car, he backed out of Marluxia's driveway and headed for home hoping to dash in and grab a change of clothes before his dad or uber-bitch woke up. If he could manage that, this could turn out to be a wonderful day.

Suddenly remembering the phone call he was about to make, he glanced at his phone and shrugged. _"Sorry, Roxas, but that phone call will have to wait a bit. It's not often I get to see my mom for a whole weekend, after all."_

Pulling up to his house, he cut the engine and climbed out of the car. Scurrying to the front entrance, he carefully turned the knob and eased the door open. Peeking in his head, he looked both ways to ensure he was undetected. Seeing that all was clear, he slipped in and quietly closed the door. Tiptoeing, he made his way slowly to the basement door.

"AXEL!" boomed the voice of his father. The redhead stopped dead in his tracks. "GET YOUR LAZY, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING ASS IN HERE, NOW!"

Axel sighed. _"So much for my wonderful day."_

OOOOOO

"SORA! Touch that sauce and I swear I will BEAT YOU WITH A WHISK!" Sora stopped his finger an inch from the bowl of Tia's homemade taco sauce and slowly aimed a frightened gaze in his aunt's direction. She stood there in all of her 5'1" glory with a hand on her hip and brandishing said whisk. She may have been small in stature, but she was scary when wielding kitchen utensils. Pouting and giving her his famous puppy-dog eyes, Sora sent her the most begging, pathetic look he could muster. "No. Bad Sora. You have to wait until dinner just like everyone else. Now, help your brother set the table and get extra chairs from the closet." Hanging his head, her brunet nephew steered himself out of the kitchen and into the dining room, where he was promptly met with snickers from his twin.

"Oh, hush you." Roxas laughed harder.

"You should know by now that Aunt Tia is pretty much the Master of the Universe when you're in her domain," he admonished. Even their friends nodded in agreement as they helped set up serving trays of vegetables and cheeses. Sora just scowled and dragged out the extra chairs. When everything was set in place, Tia came out with a tray loaded with shells, sauce and meat.

Setting the tray down, she motioned for everyone to seat themselves before saying the three words Sora had been waiting to hear.

"Let's dig in!"

"Finally!"

OOOOOO

"_Finally! I'm out of there!"_ Axel thought as he shut his car door and turned the key in the ignition. Looking at the clock, he saw he had twenty minutes to get to the restaurant. Easing on his seatbelt, he gingerly turned around and checked for traffic. Finally on his way to meet his mom, Axel relaxed slightly as he let the breeze caress him through the open window. He shifted uncomfortably, but pushed his discomfort out of his mind for the time being. Turing into the parking lot, he spotted his mom's car and smiled for the first time in several hours. Putting the gear to park, he got out the car and walked into the restaurant.

The red paper lanterns and stalks of bamboo everywhere gave the area an exotic ambience, and when he saw his mom sitting at one of the tables, he thought the surroundings suited her well. The soft crimson glow accented her sharp facial features and gave her emerald eyes a fiery appearance. Axel had gotten most of his looks from his mother, something he was very thankful for. The only thing he got from his father was his flaming red hair and long lanky frame, but his sharp, handsome looks and jade eyes he got from his mother.

Suddenly locking eyes, they beamed identical smiles that lit up both their eyes as she stood to meet her son in an embrace. Being shorter she hugged him around the waist, and when she did so, Axel tried to cover the gasp that escaped. But she heard the quick intake of breath and felt him wince and held him out at arm's length.

"Axel sweetie, are you okay?" The look in her eyes said she knew he wasn't, but he didn't want this evening to be ruined by something he'd put up with for this long.

"I'm fine now, mom. Really, I just want to spend this time with you before you go again." With that, he engulfed her in hug and buried his face against her shoulder. Though he was taller and nearing the age of adulthood in only a few weeks, being in her arms could make him feel little again and feel like the world wasn't crushing his shoulders.

She held her son silently for a few minutes before finally pulling away and wiping at the tear that had strayed down his cheek. "There now, honey. Let's sit down and you tell me everything that's happened since we last spoke."

Sitting as his mom instructed, Axel took a breath and began to speak. "Well…"

OOOOOO

"Well?" Kairi asked pointedly. Her eyes were trying to bore a hole through Roxas, who wasn't paying attention to anything the others had just said. He was completely out of it, but so far Kairi was the only one who'd noticed. His gaze was switching between staring out the window and drifting to the phone. He was currently staring at the starry sky when Kairi snapped her fingers in front of his nose. "Earth to Roxas! Are you still with us?"

Startled, Roxas jerked back and blinked rapidly. "Huh? Wha-? Yeah, I'm still here," he replied distractedly. Smiling sheepishly he rubbed the back of his neck as Kairi continued to stare at him.

"Well then, what's up? You've been spacing for a good ten minutes now! What's on your mind?" At this, the others stopped their conversation and looked in Roxas' direction. Suddenly put on the spot, he felt his cheeks heat up and he stammered his response.

"Uh, it er, it's n-nothing to w-worry about, r-really! I-I…" his voice died off and look on his face was slightly panicked. He wasn't used to being thrust in the center of everyone's attention, even if it was only his friends'. Realizing this, Kairi grabbed him by the wrist and dragged the stumbling blond down the hallway and onto the stairs. Sitting on them halfway up, she turned to him and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry about that Roxas. I know you don't really like being in the center of things." Roxas smiled gratefully for her actions. "But really Rox, what's wrong? You've been acting really weird, well, weirder than usual lately. It's really got us worried. And you seem to get like this around the same time every year. I've noticed that and I want to help you, we all do, but we need to know how we can. Please Roxas," she pleaded. Roxas had to force his eyes downward; he couldn't look into her earnest gaze. When they heard approaching footsteps, only Kairi looked up to see whom was coming. Sora stopped and stood on the other side of the banister, gripping the spindles and peering through.

"Is he okay?" he asked softly. Kairi slowly shook her head.

"I don't know, I really don't. I told him we've noticed his strange behavior lately and that it seems to happen around the same time every year. But he hasn't said anything yet."

"I know the reason for the timing." At Kairi's expectant look he continued. "This about the time the events that moved us here took place. I still don't know what exactly happened, but I know it was bad enough for us to be sent here. All I know is that our dad was sent away and something happened to our mom-"

"He killed her." Both Sora and Kairi looked at Roxas, surprised to hear him speak.

"What?" Sora asked in disbelief. Kairi stood and led Sora around the banister and sat him next to his twin.

"I think it's time you both talked with each other." With that, she went back to the others in the living room making sure they understood not to interrupt.

Roxas glanced up at his brother who looked paler than before. Sighing, he wrapped his arms around his knees and spoke. "I," he stopped and swallowed. "I'm still not ready to tell everything, but I will tell you what I thought you already knew.

"Do you remember, four years ago, when Mom had to go on that business tour and she said she'd be gone for nearly a month?" At Sora's nod he continued. "Well, that's when it all started. After Mom left, Dad became…different. Never when you were around though, only when it was just the two of us did he change. I was only eleven, so I didn't understand what was going on. Maybe if I had, I could have stopped it sooner and none of this would have happened." Hugging his knees tighter, he trudged on. "I won't tell you the details of it just yet, but the change was bad. Dad became…abusive."

Sora's eyes widened. "He hit you?" he asked incredulously. Roxas slowly nodded.

"Yes, he hit me, among other things." The blond shuddered at the memories. "Like I said, I won't go into detail, but it was hell. It started slowly at first, but soon it snowballed and he became more aggressive. He nearly killed me once." Roxas laughed bitterly as he fingered the scar under his shirt. A thick line stretched from just below his right nipple to an inch past his belly button in a diagonal pattern. Several fainter, shorter lines tagged along beside it, but they were barely visible. The rough line ended with what could be identified as a deep puncture wound. "He took a shard from a broken beer bottle to make this. I nearly bled to death." By this time, Sora was silently crying, mourning for his brother who had endured so much pain, alone and afraid.

"That's how you got that? The whole story of falling out of a tree-"

"Was his creation. He fabricated the whole story so no one would suspect. He threatened me to not reveal the truth, but by that time I had had enough. But my mistake was taking my problems to the wrong person. I went to our uncle, Duane, but being our father's brother, he refused to believe me. Instead, he called Dad and said I was trying to spread lies about him. I got punished severely for that. And that's when it happened." Roxas paused and Sora waited patiently, knowing this wasn't easy for his brother.

"Dad was in the midst of doling out his…punishment, when Mom walked through the door. Horrified, she tried to stop him herself, but he overpowered her and in his frenzied state, he…" Tears clogged his throat and Sora braced himself for what was to come. "We were in the kitchen, and she grabbed the first thing she could to try and stop him. But when he knocked her backwards, she dropped the knife and he picked it up and he s-stabbed her. She slid to the floor and he jus, just, fell…on top of her and he," Roxas' voice broke as he started sobbing uncontrollably. "He just kept stabbing her, over and over again. There was so much blood, Sora, _so much_. It was everywhere. I just remember hearing screaming, both hers and mine. I remember her screaming for me to run, but I-I couldn't. I was frozen. I felt paralyzed, I couldn't move from where I was. She kept screaming and screaming, and finally I could _move_, but I was too late, I knew I was too late. But I still had to do something, so I-I grabbed the nearest weapon I could find; the meat mallet. I took it and swung it as hard as I could at the back of his head. He collapsed and I remember thinking _'Oh my god, I killed him!'_ But I looked down at Mom, she was just barely breathing. I didn't know how she could still be _alive_. I fell to my knees and she took my hand and smiled. She _smiled_ for fuck's sake! How could she still smile when she was in that state? How? She just- I…ah!" Roxas broke down completely, sobbing hysterically as Sora finally wrapped his arms around his twin. "I was c-covered in her blood, Sora. When help finally c-came they had to drag me a-away f-from her, covered in her blood!"

Sora rocked him and hugged him as he dissolved into tears as well. "I'm sorry, Roxas. I'm so, _so_ sorry you had to go through that." The two brothers sat in despair, oblivious to the four other people at the end of the hall whose eyes were filled with tears as well. Both Kairi and Naminé were openly crying and were led away by a misty-eyed Riku. Only Tia remained to watch her nephews sadly as they clung to each other on the stairs. Tears poured down her face as she gazed at the broken down boys.

"_Oh boys, I'm so sorry."_

OOOOOO

Willas: Well there you have it! Chapter 5! I noticed the different segments flowed into each other by sharing ending/beginning words…weird. And finally we learn a little about what happened to Roxas to make him so depressed. I was almost crying when I wrote that part, it was so sad. Why do I torture the characters so?! But, as always, review! Because A: It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, B: I like hearing readers' input, and if I like the idea well enough, I might use it in the story if it doesn't alter the plot line too much, and C: You get pocky for doing it! What's not love about that? Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Thanks to my readers!!:

Aly Almasy: Thanks for reviewing! Awww, don't cry! Here! I updated and I hope it cheers you up! –you get a pocky stick!-

Beatrisu: Thank you for the tip, but putting replies here is easier and faster for my slow, outdated computer. Yes, Roxas is supposed to be girly in this story. I don't know if I would call him bitchy in the game so to speak. Uptight, yes. Bitchy, not too much. Anyways, thanks for the review! –you get a pocky stick!-

Elliot's girl: Thanks for the review! You get a muffin for guessing the teacher! And was it who you suspected on the phone? Hope you enjoyed chapter 5! –you get a pocky stick!-

Empress Satori: Thank you for reviewing! No, sadly, Axel did not call yet. But he will! I promise! I agree; hooray for vengeance, but muffins are better! Speaking of which, you get a muffin for guessing the teacher! Haha, I figured making him a teacher would turn some heads. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! –you get a pocky stick!-

J0kEr06: Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, me and cliffies seem to have a thing for each other. Sorry, no dating yet, at least not in this chapter. That phone call will just have to wait! –you get a pocky stick!-

Liu Barrowin: Thank you for the review! Yes, I love that song and that band! You too get a muffin for guessing the teacher! Did you like what role I put Jack in? That would be an awesome class to have. Yes, I realize that the last chapter was quite short, so I tried to make this one longer. Hope you enjoyed it! –you get a pocky stick!-

ONiONLADi777: Thank you for reviewing! Wow! Thank you so much for the compliment! You make me blush! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! –you get a pocky stick!-

phaz: Thanks for reviewing! Sorry for the cliffie, hehe. The teacher is none other than Captain Jack Sparrow! Oops! Didn't even think about the confusing the nickname would cause, I kinda forgot about Luxord…… Luxord: "Gee, thanks…" Ooh! Sea salt pocky! It's salty and delicious! –you get a pocky stick!-

radient phoenix: Thanks for the review! –cowers from gun- Please don't shoot! Here! Here's the next chapter! Just don't hurt meeeee! T-T Hope you enjoyed the chapter! –you get a pocky stick!-

Riku-stalker: Thank you for reviewing! No! 'Twas not Axel who called! And I bet a lot of people want to hurt me for that one….Anyways, yeah, I tried to think of what would tick me off the most early on a Saturday morning…and that was it! Hope you enjoyed this update! –you get a pocky stick!-

RyuichixTatsuha: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you loved the last chapter! Hope you love this one as well! –you get a pocky stick!-

Sesshomaru'sbabygrl: Thanks for reviewing! Yay! You get a muffin for guessing the teacher! –you get a pocky stick!-

Shadowtailmon: Thanks for the review! Nope, Axel didn't call, though a lot of people thought he did. Hmmm, I'd have to say Roxas is the more mature one since Sora tends to be a bit…spazztastic. But Sora definitely has a bigger protective streak! –you get a pocky stick!-

StrifeDaethWingedAngel: Thank you for reviewing! Wow, I motivated you hit the review the button?! I feel very special right now! Thanks for making it a constructive review too! I know. I have a problem with omitting words when I type. Even when I go back and reread, I tend to think that they're there, but they're not. That was always my downfall in English…Anyway, I'm glad you like the character structure, and as you can see from this chapter, they definitely have things to be depressed about. –you get a pocky stick!-

vincents-loverffall: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and as for the cliffies, they just seem to stick! Sorry! –you get a pocky stick!-


	6. Can't Get Any Better

As Sora lay in bed that night, his mind was in complete turmoil

Save Me

Willas: O.o…Yea…um….I'm, uhhh…

Axel: A lazy bum, that's what!! D:

Willas: hangs head in shame I know, I know, I apologize for letting updates die….again. My motivation and my muse were kidnapped and held hostage T-T. The story was there, and this chapter was almost done and then poof! My motivation depleted. But, I've managed to scrape some together, and finished this chapter with high hopes of starting on the next one tomorrow morning. I know this one's a little shorter than the last one, but I couldn't figure out how to draw this situation out longer without drawing it out the length of another whole chapter, so it will take up a good portion of the next chapter probably. So, without further ado, here is chapter six!

Disclaimer: As many times as I wish upon a star, I still don't own Kingdom Hearts or its characters! The cricket lies!! T-T I only own the plot and some original characters.

Warnings: Yaoi, lemon (later chapters), AU and OOC-ness.

Chapter Six: Can't Get Any Better

OOOOOO

As Sora lay in bed that night, his mind was in complete turmoil. _"Father killed our mother?"_ He just couldn't believe it, and when he thought about Roxas who had seen it happen right in front of him…he couldn't imagine the horror his brother must have felt. He thought back to the rest of the conversation they had after Roxas had recovered from most of his tears.

-Flashback-

"How? Why? Why would he suddenly act like that? Why would he suddenly hit his son and kill his wife?" Sora was stalking around the empty living room. Their friends had all left at Tia's suggestion and they went with little argument. They wanted to stay, but understood they needed time alone. Sora's face was a mixture of grief and pain while Roxas sat blank-faced on the couch with a blanket. He curled up into a ball and watched his brother pace back and forth. Roxas just blinked at him as he thought about what Sora just said.

"_No, it wasn't sudden. You still haven't put it together have you?" he asked softly._

"Put what together?" Sora stopped pacing and stared at his brother.

Roxas pulled the blanket up to his chin before explaining. "Remember how I was always a "klutz"? All the minor scrapes, cuts, and bruises I always had? You know how they were always blamed on my skateboarding?" Sora nodded slowly, as realization began to dawn on him. Roxas shook his head. "No, they were made by dad, but it was only when I had gotten in trouble, and he always told me it was an "accident", or that I made him hurt me." Roxas smiled sadly. "I guess dad was always abusive, I just never blamed it on him because he made me feel like it was my fault. And it would always happen when mom went away for a day or two for meetings. I never said anything, I believed I really was a klutz and that it was my fault when I was hurt."

_Sora stared at him, stunned. "So, all those years…it was him?" His brother nodded. Sora sank onto the couch next to Roxas. "And all that time, why couldn't I SEE IT?!" He slammed his fists on the coffee table, rattling their cooling mugs of tea. Sora sobbed and whispered, "I'm sorry, Roxas."_

_Roxas unfolded himself and hugged his brother. "It's not your fault, Sora. You were a kid, you couldn't possibly know what was going on."_

"_But I'm your brother! Your twin for crying out loud! I should have at least noticed something!" Sora fell silent as he hugged his brother in return. After a few quiet moments, Sora squeezed Roxas tight. "Don't worry, Roxas. He's gone now and he's never coming back, and I promise I won't let anyone hurt you again. I may not have been able to protect you then, but I'll protect you with my life now. I swear."_

-End Flashback-

Sora watched through his open door as the light coming from beneath Roxas' finally went out. Turning over, he stared at the night sky through his window and gazed at the stars. "I'll protect you, Roxas. I promise."

OOOOOO

Axel woke with a start as several loud thuds resounded through the room. Blindly searching the darkness, he realized he was on the foldout couch in the hotel suite his mother had booked. He relaxed knowing it was just other guests in their rooms and not his father stumbling down the stairs. Rolling over on his back, he stared at the reflection of headlights travelling across the ceiling. Closing his eyes, he wondered over the conversation he had with his mother.

-Flashback-

"_Well…" he trailed off, not exactly sure where to start. "The band is coming along great. We're starting to record our stuff and we're almost ready to make our first promo CD." His mother beamed proudly._

"_Oh honey, that's great! I'm so proud of you." Axel grinned back._

"_Yeah, we're pretty popular around town, especially in school. In fact, we just played at the first school function of the year and it was awesome. That's where I met Ro-" He cut himself off and blushed as he realized what he was about to say. A sly grin crept onto his mother's face._

"_Aww, Axel sweetie, is there a certain someone you want to talk about? A special boy perhaps?" She giggled as her son's face began to match his hair. _

"_Well, not exactly…" he muttered._

"_Alright, spill it. I want to know the specs on this kid. Name, age, favorite color and food…" Axel put up his hands helplessly._

"_Whoa, whoa, hold your horses mom! I don't even know that much about him except his name…and his phone number." His mother looked at him expectantly and he sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay. His name's Roxas Ikeda and he's a freshman in high school. He lives with his aunt and has a twin brother named Sora. He's blond with blue eyes, sorta on the short and feminine side…oh, and I'm not giving you his phone number." His mother laughed at that._

"You have your eyes on a young one, it seems. Just be gentle with him, okay?" she teased. Her face became thoughtful and she tapped a finger to her chin. "Hmm, Ikeda, Ikeda…why does that sound so familiar?" She pondered it for few moments before dismissing it. "Oh, well it'll come to me later. Our food's here, let's eat."

-End Flashback-

Yawning, Axel rolled over and found a more comfortable position. Just before he drifted back to sleep, a thought crossed his mind. _"She never did figure out why the name Ikeda sounded familiar. Oh well, it probably wasn't important."_

OOOOOO

A somber weekend passed at the Tenshi/Ikeda residence, much of which Roxas spent locked up in his room trying to repress the memories he had locked away long ago. By the time Monday rolled around he had formed a fragile shell of composure and insisted that he was able to go to school. Understanding that this was the only way Roxas would be able to hold himself together, Sora made no mention of what had been said only two days previous. The drive to school was silent, neither boy making a sound other than to say goodbye to their aunt as she dropped them off. Sora turned to his brother to ask him the question he'd been wanting to ask him all morning, but he was cut off when Roxas said, "Come on, let's go. The first bell is about to ring. We don't want to be late." With that the blond made his way up the stairs and into the crowded halls of the school, leaving his concerned twin to watch his retreating back. Sighing, Sora followed his brother's example and entered the building swarming with students.

Opening the locker that he shared with Kairi, he pulled out the textbooks he needed for his morning classes and stuffed his jacket inside before closing it with a bang. Turning around he caught sight of the gang and he started towards them. Pecking Kairi's cheek and smiling at the rest in greeting, he took a spot next to his girlfriend. Riku, Kairi, and Naminé all gave him puzzled looks, but it was Riku who voiced their concerns.

Glancing at the others who didn't know what had happened over weekend, he said carefully, "I didn't think you'd be at school today." Sora plastered on a smile and scratched his neck.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Pausing, Riku read the look in Sora's eyes that said, "_I'll talk to you later"_, and nodded his head in understanding.

"Nevermind, it was nothing." Kairi and Naminé exchanged glances while the rest of the group just looked confused.

"Is Roxas-" Naminé started, but Sora cut her off.

"Yeah, he's here, too." The others looked even more confused, but they didn't have a chance to question him. Hearing the bell, they all parted ways and headed to their homerooms, Naminé bidding a quick farewell to Riku so she could see Roxas in their homeroom together. Reaching the classroom, she spotted Roxas at his desk, head down on his arms and his face averted from the rest of the class.

Roxas braced himself with a sigh as he heard Naminé take her seat next to him. Lifting his head he made a dismal attempt at smiling, but failed miserably. Instead, Naminé smiled empathetically and laid a hand over his. Finding comfort in this wordless action, he clasped her hand in thanks and appreciation. Despite the odd looks they received from the rest of the class, he continued to hold her like a lifeline until they had to separate for their classes. Giving his hand a final squeeze, she smiled and waved, earning a weak smile in return before she reluctantly turned and started for her math class.

OOOOOO

The first three periods of the day seemed to drag by forever for Roxas. Finally, the bell for lunch rang and he all but bolted out of his Algebra class, earning several weird glances from the teacher and his classmates. Heading for the cafeteria, he slowed to a stop as he approached the doors. Deciding that squeezing into an overcrowded room filled with loud, rambunctious students would be too much for his nerves; he opted for eating in the small park on the school campus. Leaving through one of the rear entrances, he made a beeline for the most secluded picnic table he could locate. Climbing the small hill leading to the soccer field, he spotted a heavily shaded table beneath one of the campus's huge trees. Setting the timer on his watch to go off in an hour, he pulled out his bagged lunch and began eating. Gazing over the campus, he was content to watch the interaction and behaviors of the different cliques. He observed as the cheerleaders practiced their routines, the jocks divided themselves between the basketball court and the soccer field, and distantly he could see the theatre kids rehearsing for their upcoming play. Listening to the sounds of nature and high school meshing together, he let his mind wander as he slowly chewed his food, unaware of the fact that the table wasn't as secluded as he thought it was.

_BAM!_ A bookbag was slammed onto the table as an overly cheerful face was thrust within inches of his own. "Hey! How's it going?" a chipper voice inquired. Suddenly jolted out of his thoughts, Roxas gasped in surprise, inhaling the bite of sandwich he'd been chewing in the process. Putting a hand to his throat, he looked at the other boy with panic-filled eyes trying to convey the emergency. Realizing that Roxas was choking, the boy rushed around the table and slipped his arms around Roxas' torso. Giving his chest a good, hard pump with his fist, he successfully dislodged the food from Roxas' throat. "Omigod, I'm so, so, SO sorry! Are you okay, can you breath, do you need water?" Roxas silenced the kid's tirade with a wave of his hand and just concentrated on taking deep breaths of precious oxygen. When he could breath normally, he smiled thankfully.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Thanks for saving me though."

The other boy frowned. "But I'm the one who caused you to choke in the first place!"

"It's not your fault, I wasn't paying any attention to anything around me."

"So you're not mad?" the kid asked hesitantly.

Roxas gave him a funny look. "No, of course not!" The other boy sighed in relief.

"That's good. I'm Demyx, by the way," the boy introduced himself, back to his cheery attitude. Roxas couldn't help but smile.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Roxas."

"Oh, I know!" Demyx grinned. Roxas just blinked at him, puzzled. But before he could ask how he knew him, Larxene, who had been watching the entire episode from afar, came up behind them.

"Boy, Dem, you're lucky you pay attention in health class or else _he_ would've killed you if you had killed him," she said, indicating Roxas. Roxas' eyes widened in recognition.

"Wait, she's in that band with Axel! But, if she's here, then that means…"

"Oi!" Larxene shouted at someone behind her, "Demyx damn near killed your loverboy here, Axel!" she teased.

Filled with complete dread, Roxas slowly turned further and instantly locked eyes onto Axel's green gaze

"_Awwww,"_ he groaned to himself. _"Why now? Why did I have to run into him now? This day just keeps getting better and better," _he thought sarcastically.

OOOOOO

Willas: Voila! Chapter six in all its glory! cricket cricket O.o' Or not…Silly Roxas choking on his sandwich.

Roxas: Hey! Sandwiches can be dangerous, alright!

Willas: Riiiight…Anyways, as always, review will be rewarded with pocky, but I will no longer do each individual reply to comments(as much as I wish I could) due to complaints that they become longer than the actual chapter! So instead, I will simply list the names of the reviewers and give a big group thank you while showering them in bouquets of pocky! But to answer the most common questions and concerns:

Yes, Axel's father is an asshole; I'm glad you found the last chapter to be realistic and a tearjerker; sorry I tricked you with the phone call -; (to Beatrisu) I went and read that chapter of your story and wow, they are eerily similar! And as for the abuse seeming sudden, yeah, I agreed, so I hope the explanation in this chapter covered for it oo'.

Thanks to my readers!!:

Beatrisu, phaz, Smutlover, Elliott's Girl, Riku-stalker, The Masquerade Moth, Echigo-chan, Kageshi, Teh Wonderful Crack Fairy, J0kEr06, Liu Barrowin, Wicked Winter, RyuichixTatsuha, hamfoot, fullofmisery, -literary license-, Kel-Vampyre, and shad0w0Fn0th1ng!! –I love you all and I rain pocky upon all of your wonderful heads!-


	7. Hidden Talent?

Save Me

Save Me

Willas: Yay! I'm back with another chapter! Alas, this one also took forever to get out, my apologies! My friend gave me a swift kick in the ass a few days ago and it got me into writing again.

Axel: Lazy bum!

Willas: Oh, shush, you! Anyways, here's chapter seven! Where we left off with Roxas and his internal sufferings!

Roxas: You're having way too much fun with making me suffer…

Willas: Nonsense! –whistles innocently- Oh! And I went back and fixed grammatical errors, spelling and such, and tweaked a few things that were either pointed out by readers(like Marluxia's nickname being confused for Luxord) or stuck out at me when I read them again. Nothing really worth going back to read all the chapters again for, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of you go back to reread to refresh yourself on the storyline….it's been that long…. D':

Disclaimer: Sigh, I still don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. –Cries- I only own the plot and few original characters. Nothing more.

Warnings: Yaoi, lemon (later chapters), AU and OOC-ness.

Chapter Seven: Hidden Talent?

OOOOOO

Roxas felt like bashing his head into the table. What he had thought was going to be a quiet, secluded lunch had turned into a convention of half the school. Or, at least that's how it felt to Roxas' shy nature. After Demyx, Larxene, and Axel had unceremoniously dropped in, nine other people soon joined them, and the timid blond thought he was going to have a panic attack. He wasn't used to being around so many unknown people at once, and being the center of attention of said unknown people was even worse.

"_Ugh, I _hate _being the center of attention,"_ he thought vehemently. _"That's why I finally stopped…"_ He shook his head the get rid of the thought. _"The past is the past. Just forget it already! No matter how much I loved it-"_ Roxas was startled out of his reminiscing when he felt a nudge to his ribs. Blinking the world back into focus, he looked at the one who elbowed him. Axel. Of course. "Huh?"

Axel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Jeez, talk about blank with a capital 'B'." Roxas blushed as the rest of the table snickered.

"Well, now I know how Demyx, of all people, was able to sneak up on you, as loud as he is!" Xigbar said with a laugh.

"Hey! I'm not _that_ loud!" Demyx shouted indignantly. Larxene simply patted him on the head.

"Of course, not, hon. Believe whatever you want," she cooed. Demyx glared and went back to eating his sandwich. Roxas looked around the table, feeling like an outsider in the group. Everyone here had a tight camaraderie, and he was intruding. He peeked at Axel who was trying to get his cousin to like sushi to no avail. Giving up, the redhead turned back around in his seat and glanced at Roxas. Noticing Roxas' gaze, he smiled at the small blond and Roxas shyly smiled back. Looking back down at his hands though, he frowned.

"_Man, what am I doing here?"_

OOOOOO

Meanwhile, in the cafeteria, Sora felt like banging _his_ head against the table. The noise in the room was deafening, and he could barely hear himself think. Though he supposed it was a good thing, seeing as all he could think about was-

"Sora!" Riku screamed to be heard over everyone else in the room, even though he was only sitting two feet away from his friend. Seeing that the blue-eyed boy was still distracted, Riku picked up a French fry and threw it at his face. That got his attention.

"Eh? Hey! What was that for?" the brunet yelled when he realized who threw it. Riku rolled his eyes.

"I've only been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes!"

"Oh." Sora scratched his cheek and smiled sheepishly. "Well, then, what did you want?" he yelled back. Frowning, Riku whispered something to Naminé, who nodded and traded places with him so he could talk to Sora.

Able to speak in a normal tone, he said, "I was just wondering what we're going to do about Roxas. I know he's burying the pain right now, but I think we should try to do something to help cheer him up." Sora wrinkled his brow in thought.

"I dunno, Riku. I mean, he's not really the type of person who likes to be distracted from their brooding. Every attempt I've made in the past was unsuccessful, and-" Riku cut him off.

"But do you want your brother to be a negative Nancy? Come on! I think we should do _something_!" Having been listening to their boyfriends' conversation, Kairi and Naminé nodded in agreement.

"He's right, Sora. We should try to help him!" Kairi chimed in.

"Yeah, I hate to see Roxas this depressed. I know he's not always as happy as he seems," Naminé added as they all got up from the table, "but we should at least try to find something that will take his mind off of it, if only for a little while." Sora was surprised at her perceptiveness of Roxas' forced emotions, though he shouldn't have been considering her favorite hobby besides drawing was studying people. He frowned in thought as they left the cafeteria, considering their reasoning before smiling and nodding.

"Okay, we can try." _"Man, I'm lucky to have friends who care about Roxas as much as I do!"_ Then he frowned again. "But, how do we do it?" They all fell silent as they tried to think. Walking past the main office, Kairi glanced up at the bulletin board and then swung her eyes back to it as a flyer caught her attention. Reading the flyer she grabbed one from where it was tacked.

"Hey guys, I think I have an idea of what might cheer him up!" Instead of explaining she waved the flyer in Sora's face until he grabbed it so he could read it without getting a headache. As he read he smiled, but a frown took its place shortly after.

"I dunno Kairi. I would think it would only be a further reminder of…"

"But didn't you say he loved this? That even when you were little that this was one of the only things that made him really happy? We should at least give it a shot and see what he has to say about it." Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed another flyer and rushed out to the courtyard to find Roxas.

Riku raised his brow at the girl's persistency. "Wow, when she makes up her mind about something there's no stopping her is there?" Sora sighed with a smile.

"You have NO idea."

OOOOOO

Axel observed as Roxas sat there awkwardly while the rest of the group's conversations carried on around them.

"Sigh, I think I missed that question on the Chemistry test…"

"You? Miss a get a question wrong in Chemistry? That's a laugh…"

"Who's up for a game of cards!…"

"As long as it's not poker…"

"Watch it! You almost got water all over my books…"

"Whoops, sorry!…"

"So, did you hear about that new movie coming out soon? The previews kicked ass…"

"I swear, if you get that in my hair I _will_ kill you…"

"Yeah dude, he'll like, totally have to chop off his dreads, man…"

"Sounds like an improvement…"

"Oh screw you Larxene!"

"Nah, that's Marly's job! Haha- OW!"

"Come again you little brat?"

"Dude, what's everyone doing this weekend? We should totally…"

"Hey, when are tryouts, Larxene?"

"Hmm, this Friday. I'm still trying to convince Axel to go with me. Speaking of whom….Axel. AXEL!" Axel snapped to attention. He faintly blushed while trying to look like he hadn't been staring intently at the petite blond next to him.

"Yeah, what do you want?" He blinked up innocently at Larxene. She gave Axel a knowing smirk but let it drop.

"You _are _coming to tryouts with me, right?" She raised a brow as if daring him to challenge her mandate. Axel just scoffed.

"Absolutely….NOT! You're crazy!" He crossed his arms defiantly as she scowled at him.

"Oh, come on! We lost a couple of our best people last year when they graduated! I checked the signup sheet today and we just need one more person to fill the slots! One more! Please!"

Roxas, as well as everyone else, watched the exchange with interest. _"Tryouts? Tryouts for what?"_

"No! If you think that I'm going to-" He as he spotted four freshmen running towards their table.

"Roxas! There you are!" Kairi huffed as she reached the group first; Sora, Riku, and Naminé following closely. "We've been looking everywhere for you! Here, read this. I don't know why I never thought of it before, but you should totally do it!" She passed the flyer in her hand to Roxas who slowly read it over.

Roxas stared blankly at the paper in his hand as Kairi eagerly awaited a reaction. _"These must be the tryouts Larxene was talking about,"_ he decided when he saw her name listed as team captain. Larxene, seeing the flyer, looked sharply at Roxas.

"Wait, you mean you-?" The hope in her voice was obvious and it almost made him want to say 'yes'. Almost. Instead, he crumpled the flyer in his hand and stood to collect his things before giving Larxene a hard look.

"Not anymore." With that, Roxas threw away the remainder of his lunch into a nearby bin and walked away.

"Roxas!" Kairi made to follow him, but Sora held her back. She looked at him questioningly.

"Let him go. I didn't think he would accept it right off, but maybe he'll change his mind." Kairi turned to watch Roxas' retreating back.

"What? How can you say that? He read it and just walked off!" She waved a hand in the departing blonde's direction as if Sora didn't notice him leaving.

"Yea…but he didn't throw the flyer away," Sora pointed out. Sure enough, crumpled though it was, the little neon flyer was still in his hand. "That's more than I expected, really," he admitted. "But maybe he will give it some thought. Just give him time."

The people still sitting at the table all gave the four teens puzzled looks except for Axel. He noticed the forlorn look on Sora's face. Fixing a concerned gaze on Roxas whom was climbing the steps into the school, he wondered what he had missed.

OOOOOO

Willas: Sorry! I _had_ to cut it off there! It was the only place I could end it without giving away what the tryouts were for! Forgive meee! T-T I'll try to make the next chapter longer! Promise! Also, see if you can guess what the tryouts are for. Probably not what you would expect! Correct guesses earn muffins! -

Thanks to my readers!!:

Ruminative-Be, tempo out of service., The Bittersweet End, SXR4EVA, Kel-Vampyre, CrazyLittleMello, lovetheHams, Kyro259, The Mist Alchemist, Suna's Assassin. –you all get pocky sticks!- (To who said that pocky is expensive, just go to Wal-Mart, they have a good sized box of it for 90 something cents in the oriental section! :D)


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